Pop King charged with child molestation

"King of Pop" Michael Jackson was Thursday charged with sexually molesting a young boy after plying him with alcohol, allegations that could land him a hefty prison sentence.

But Jackson's lawyer hit back at the charges, saying the "King of Pop" was "unequivocally and absolutely" innocent and that he would fight the charges motivated by "money and revenge" with "every fibre of his soul."

Prosecutors near Jackson's fabled Neverland Ranch in California filed nine criminal charges against the beleaguered superstar and included a "special allegation" of "substantial sexual conduct" with a child under 14.

"There are several special allegations ... which, if found true, could make Jackson ineligible for probation and impact the number of years that he could serve in prison," Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon said after filing charges in the town of Santa Maria.

Legal experts said the definition of "substantial" sexual conduct was "rectal penetration, oral copulation, or masturbation."